Australian parents sending kids to Africa for a better life

South Sudanese Australian parents have started sending their children to African boarding schools to escape the grip of the Apex gang in Melbourne.

"It is very extreme, but there are many cases where that has really worked to the best of young people," Chair of the South Sudanese Community in Victoria, Kot Monoah told ABC's 7.30.

Mr Monoah said the community were fearful of the rise of the Apex gang, which consist mainly of South Sudanese youth, and felt their children would be safer in Kenya than in the Melbourne suburbs.

Akec Mading told the program she has sent her son and daughter to a boarding school in Kampala after witnessing family member's children fall into trouble with the law. Ms Mading has blamed fellow parents for not doing more to control and discipline their children.

"There are a lot of African children now in jail. There are a lot of children now in the street, they drink, they do whatever."

The concerned mother's cousin also sent her 11 children to a boarding school in Uganda after one was jailed for assault and two developed drug problems.

Ms Mading said since her two children have returned from boarding school their grades have significantly improved and they are focussed on their schooling.

Related Articles

Mr Monoah said there has allegedly been several bogus complaints made against South Sudanese parents to child protection services which has created an atmosphere of hesitation and panic over the disciplining of unruly kids.

"We need to help parents find alternative parenting, if we all of a sudden say that strict parenting is not the way to go in Australia," he told 7.30.